A witch and a werewolf
by White Rose of Wutai
Summary: After a transformation, Remus overhears the golden trio talking about him, and many hidden feelings come to light.


Did I mention he's a Warewolf?

Remus Lupin yawned and stretched. He had been lying curled up in a corner of his room all night and half the day to make sure the effects of his transformation had completely worn off before he had to be around people. He couldn't risk taking a snap at anyone so soon after the full moon, and half of The Order were terrified of him as it was. In fact, he noticed as he made his way down the stairs, many of them were huddled in tight groups, and they scurried away if they saw him coming, hurriedly breaking off whispered conversations. Remus suspected that they were talking about him, but after thirty odd years of being stared at, spat at and screamed at for his condition, it didn't bother him too much. As he made his way to the kitchen –tiptoeing passed the portrait of Mrs Black- his werewolf keen hearing picked up a whispered convosation that he knew was _defiantly_ about him, and was surprised to hear Ron's voice.

"-warewolf Hermione! What are you thinking?!"  
"I can't help it Ronald! Any way, what does it matter that Remus is a Warewolf? You've never minded before!"  
"Yes, but we've mostly kept him at arms length before, Hermione. I like Remus, you know I do, but still, he could be dangerous. Have some sense!"  
Remus had frozen outside the kitchen door. He was torn between staying put, and hearing the rest of the convosation, and throwing open the door and interrupting. It both saddened and angered him that the last comment had come from Harry Potter.  
"Only once a month Harry!" replied Hermione shrilly "You _know_ Remus isn't one of those savage wolves! He was Sirius's best friend for Merlin's sake!"  
"Yes, but Sirius didn't exactly have the best taste in friends has he? Look at Wormtail." Said Ron darkly  
"Shut up about Sirius! This isn't about him and Wormtail, this is about Hermione and Remus." Snarled Harry  
"Sorry mate, I was only saying... I didn't mean..."  
"Forget it." said Harry. "Hermione, just listen to us! We don't have any thing against Remus personally, it's just that, well, he's a -"  
"I know perfectly well he's a warewolf, and I don't see what the problem is."  
"We just don't want you to get hurt, Hermione." said Ron gently.  
"It's Hermione's choice Harry, Ron. She is a very smart and capable witch. She can decide her own fait." said the deep, low voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt.  
Remus heard the scraping of a chair as one of them got up. He knew he should leave, but he was rooted to the spot. What was Hermione saying? Why were Ron, Harry and even Kingsley talking about him as if he was a wild animal, or a murderer?  
"Well, Remus can't help being a warewolf anymore then I can help having feelings for him." Stated Hermione, her voice shaking slightly. "And you have no need to worry about me getting too close to him, because even though _I _love _him_, that doesn't mean that he feels the same about me, does it?"

Remus could hear Hermione walking towards the door, but he couldn't move. Hermione? In love with _him? _Why? There was nothing special about him, except that he was a warewolf. Besides, she was more than twenty years his junior! And her ex-teacher! And a _warewolf_! True, she said she didn't care about that, but still...

The kitchen door flew open, and then slammed shut, but Remus still could not move. It was only when he felt someone run into him, causing him to stumble backwards, did he remember where he was. He looked down at Hermione, who had been knocked to the floor when she collided with him, his eyes wide, and his mouth slightly open. She lifted her head to glare at the person she had run into, and gasped. She looked at Remus's shocked face, and glanced back at the kitchen door.  
"Re...Remus! How long... I mean, I... Did you..?"  
Remus nodded, knowing what she wanted to ask and at loss for what to say.  
"Oh!" squeaked Hermione, blushing furiously "Oh! Oh! I didn't mean for you to... Oh!" she jumped up, cast one last fleeting look at Remus, who was still pale and silent, and ran down the corridor and up the stairs, causing Mrs Black to screech loudly as the curtain covering her portrait flew open. Order members flooded into the corridors from every direction, blocking his view, as they attempted to force the curtain back over Mrs Black. The last glimpse he had of Hermione was of her turning the corner that led to the bedroom she shared with Ginny.

***

Over the next few days, Remus bumped into Hermione more often then he ever had before, despite both of their best efforts to avoid each other. No matter how often one tried to keep out of the others way, they always ended up together. They both needed to join the queue for the bathroom at the same time, or they both came down early for breakfast. A couple of times, Remus purposely arrived late for meetings to give Hermione time to get a seat far away from him, only to find that she had done the same thing and the only chairs left were next to each other. It was only after, at lunch one day, his had accidentally brushed Hermione's knee as he sat down; causing him to leap from his chair as if it was on fire, apologising profusely as he fled from the room red-faced –earning him startled, bewildered and surprised looks from everyone in the room except Hermione, who had gone pink- that he decided that he needed to talk to her.

He composed what he was going to say, took a deep breath, and marched purposely out of his room. His steps faltered slightly as he approached her bedroom, but he kept going. He breathed deeply again, and knocked on the door.

He heard a light thud as someone jumped off of a bed, and the door creaked open. Ginny Weasly's flame red hair and impatient expression appeared round the door.

"Harry! I said in a min- oh, hi professor!" Ginny smirked at him. "Did you want to see Hermione?"

Of course, he should have known that Hermione would have told Ginny everything. He was about to answer, when Hermione cut in.

"I haven't quite finished with the book, Professor Moody; can I give it to you tomorrow?"

"Oh, it's not Professor Moody, Hermione. I would tell you to put a robe on, but as its Professor _Lupin_..." Ginny winked at Remus, who blushed deep crimson.

There was a bigger thud from inside the room followed by a gasp.

"_What!_" squeaked Hermione "I don't want to see him! Tell him I'm not here!"

Ginny sighed, and rolled her eyes at Remus, who chuckled nervously.

"I reckon he already knows you are here, Herm. I'll just let him in; he looks very nervous and awkward standing in the corridor."

"Wait! Let me put a robe on first if you're going to let him in here!" Hermione's voice seemed to be getting higher by the second.

There was a scuffling sound, followed by a ripping noise. Hermione cursed.

"Okay, I'm done." Said Hermione, her voice shaking.

"_Finally._" Breathed Ginny. "Come in Professor..." she ushered him into the room. "I really don't see the point in putting on a robe, Hermione. You're just going to take it off as soon as-"

"GINNY! Out!" commanded Hermione, her cheeks pink.

"Just _saying_." Grumbled Ginny, closing the door behind her.

Hermione took a deep breath, and turned to face Remus.

"Remu... I mean, Professor. What can I do for you?" she blushed as she heard the double meaning in her words.

Remus cleared his throat, trying not to notice the rip Hermione had in her robes; through which the bare skin near her thigh was visible.  
"Hermione. You are an extremely skilled witch, and a good friend. I noticed that you have failed to turn up for duelling practice since... in a while." He faulted. "I... I don't want your training to suffer because of me. I would like you to come. To the training, I mean." He took a deep breath and continued "If it makes it more comfortable for you, I can keep away and get someone else to teach you. I'm sure any member of the Order would be delighted to." He stopped speaking and looked at Hermione. Or rather, somewhere to the left of her.

Hermione looked slightly to the right of Remus. "I'm sorry Sir; I haven't been feeling that well recently. I'll come tomorrow. To the training, I mean." Her eyes shifted to meet Remus's for a second, and she quickly looked away. "You... you don't have to leave. I'll be okay. In fact, I think we should both forget about it." She looked up.

Their eyes met, and they grinned sheepishly at each other.  
Remus was relieved. He had been planning to say exactly that, but he hadn't wanted to, in case it further hurt her feelings.

"Forget what?" he smiled at her crookedly. She giggled, still blushing slightly.

"Exactly." She grinned.

Remus turned to go, and then stopped.

"And thank you." He said

"For what?"

"For standing up for me. For caring about me, despite my being a... well, thanks Hermione. Not many people would." He said quietly.

He turned to look at her, a small tear running down his cheek. He brushed it away, embarrassed.

A matching tear ran down Hermione's cheek. "Any time, Remus. And I'm sorry. For what you heard. For what Harry and Ron said. For what _I_ said. It must have made things... difficult for you, what with me being an ex-pupil."

"Already forgotten about." He reminded. He turned to the door again.

"Thanks." She said.

"Any time." He whispered, closing the bedroom door behind him.

***

_Reviews are very welcome =) I shall be doing a sequel to this, as a separate fic, by the way. It's based on a dream I had last night, where I was Hermione, and I was playing balloon with my brothers, Tonks and Sirius, and Remus came up to me. I won't tell you the rest, as it will spoil the next fic! =P Nothing dirty, just __**very**__ awkward, with blushing and stuttering. And a lizard that Remus bought me (called Remus) who, sadly, will not be appearing in the fic. =(_


End file.
